The Post Starcrossed Trilogy
by Angelic Temptress
Summary: Part 1: The story of Shayera after her betrayal, through another's eyes. Part 2: John's story, 3 months later & from a friend's POV. Part 3: Can John and Shy still love each other? Now up: The Epilogue!
1. Afterward

Afterward (Part I of my Post--'Starcrossed' Trilogy.)  
  
By: Jade O'Neal  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They are property of DC Comics, Warner Bros. and others.  
  
Spoilers: STARCROSSED. (Take note: I haven't seen the episode myself and have only drawn conclusions from bits and pieces of spoilers and pictures that I've seen on the web. This could very well be classified as and alternate universe fiction.)  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language  
  
Now, on with the trilogy...  
  
^V^  
  
I came into the underground criminal bar wearing a disguise, basically a ratty wig and sunglasses, and looking for the former Justice League member. I had tracked her from the Wayne Manor to this place and was about to make my first move.  
  
My reason: I was worried about her.  
  
The irony was that I had never even met her, and she didn't even know who I was. All I knew of her was what Batman, my father, and the news had told me.  
  
She was a beautiful individual from Thanagar, a bellicose planet that was on the opposite side of the universe whose aggressive people decided to invade Earth only days ago.  
  
The Justice League, however disillusioned and betrayed, had prevented the aliens from staying.  
  
She, unfortunately, had been caught in the middle of a battle between her homeland and her newly adopted home.  
  
In the end, she had lost both.  
  
And now, she had no one.  
  
I guess that hit a soft spot in my heart. After all, the boys I worked with, the men I loved, were orphans themselves. Thankfully, I had never had to be alone like they had. Maybe that's what I found most intriguing about her. Maybe that's what attracted my attention.  
  
Either way, her story broke my heart.  
  
I took a seat beside her and ordered a rum and coke, taking a glance in the mirror behind the bar. I looked absolutely ridiculous in that old blond wig and dark brown leather coat, but it was necessary. I couldn't allow anyone to know that the commissioner's only daughter was hanging around a gangster bar, hoping to connect with a "traitor." Someone would figure it all out, and my cover would be blown.  
  
A row of glasses sat in front of the winged woman; she had downed at least four shots of whiskey before I had joined her and cradled another in her hands.  
  
As I sipped my drink, I couldn't help studying her. The massive hawk wings were remarkably stunning and one of the most incredible sights I'd ever seen, and I've seen a great deal in my time. Her red hair, which was a few shades lighter than my own, was mussed, and her face possessed the most upsetting expression.  
  
Because she hadn't concealed her features behind a mask, I could see how beautiful she truly was.  
  
And how depressed she truly was.  
  
She didn't have on her battle attire but rather wore a wrinkled tee and jeans. Although her slumped posture and slightly baggy clothing tried to deceive others, I could see that she was quite fit and toned.  
  
Somehow, I knew that Alfred had already taken a liking to her; he was a brilliant judge of character and always has been. If he supported my actions, then I was in good shape.  
  
At the moment, it didn't matter what Batman thought.  
  
She swallowed the shot of scotch and ordered another. The bartender didn't comply.  
  
"I think you've had enough, Lady," he said as he wiped down the bar.  
  
The ex-detective narrowed her green eyes and clenched her teeth. "I'll tell you when I've had enough," she informed angrily. "I don't think you'd have enough alcohol in here for your –"  
  
"Hold on," I interrupted and grasped her forearm to get her attention. She sent a glare at me and ripped herself free from my hold. The girl was drunk and confused; she wasn't about to trust me without a good reason.  
  
I made eye contact and gave her a sympathetic smile to calm her nerves. The fury she had held reluctantly left her eyes, and she looked away from me. The bartender walked to the back room, allowing me to talk to her without an audience.  
  
Not knowing what to say, I carefully asked, "Are you all right?" I knew that the question was not one she wanted to hear, but it was a way to start a conversation. All I needed was for her to trust me.  
  
"No," she answered dryly.  
  
I finished my drink and then questioned, "Is there anything I can do to help?"  
  
Alarm flashed in her eyes, and I saw her muscles tense up. "Why do you care?"  
  
Quickly, I scribbled a message for her onto my napkin; it stated that I was Batgirl and that I wanted to help her. Once she read it, a cynical laugh escaped her throat. Either she didn't believe me, or she couldn't believe me.  
  
"What's the boss say about this?" she asked, her words stumbling together.  
  
"That doesn't matter," I told. "I just thought you needed someone to talk to. A friend to –"  
  
She chuckled some more. "I'm a traitor, little girl. I don't have friends."  
  
"Then make one," I challenged.  
  
"Be warned. I've backstabbed my own family."  
  
"I'm willing to take a risk if you will."  
  
The Thanagarian raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "What could you possibly do to help me?"  
  
"Well, we could start by finding you a place to stay for the night."  
  
^V^  
  
I walked into my apartment with her leaning on me, drunker than any frat boy I've ever known. I somehow managed to get her to my bedroom and into my bed.  
  
The instant her head touched the pillow, she was off in her dream world. I pulled off her boots and covered her before heading back to my living room.  
  
Tired, I collapsed onto my couch and took off the wig. Honestly, I had no idea what I was going to tell her when she awoke the next morning. How can you tell someone that you just wanted to make sure she didn't try anything stupid?  
  
I didn't know.  
  
As expected, one of my comrades joined me in my apartment only minutes later. He didn't use the front door either; he had slipped through a window. It was Nightwing, and he probably would ask the same question Batman would ask when he stopped by.  
  
"What are you doing, Babs?" He crossed his arms over the blue bird on his chest and slightly shook his head. "You know he's going to get bitchy about this."  
  
I only shrugged. "Let him. He can't tell me when to feel guilty or when to sympathize for another."  
  
"Guilty? Why? You're not the one who decided to drop her from the League. Hell, we're not even in the League." Nightwing sat down beside me and gently moved my red hair from my face. "Really, what's the deal?"  
  
"I wish I knew. I just feel bad for her, you know? Sure, she made a mistake. Who doesn't?"  
  
He let out a half-bothered/half-understanding sigh. "She jeopardized all of Earth, Barbara. That's not something you can forgive easily."  
  
I turned my body to face him and placed my hands in his. "I'm not trying to be naïve or ignorant. I just don't want her to lose herself. Whether the League agrees or not, she's a critical ally in this war against the bad guys. If she snaps, we're one person down."  
  
He nodded, indicating his comprehension. "I've got to go." Nightwing stood, and I followed. "What do I tell him if he asks?"  
  
"The truth," I answered without hesitation. I then planted a soft kiss on his warm lips and smiled. "Be careful out there, Officer Dick."  
  
He laughed. "Talk to you tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure. Stop by."  
  
He kissed my cheek and left my apartment.  
  
^V^  
  
Minutes after I had finally drifted off to sleep on my uncomfortable couch, someone knocked on my door. With a groan and a few mumbled curses, I got up and walked to the entrance.  
  
"Who's there?" I asked and looked through the peephole at a redheaded man I did not recognize.  
  
"I'm Wally West," he announced nervously. "I'd really like to talk to you... about your visitor."  
  
His name rung a bell, but I couldn't quite place it. He knew that the girl was with me, but I couldn't just permit him to enter.  
  
"I know you don't know me, but I work, uh, worked with her... and your boss too. Listen, you've gotta let me see her. I could give you proof, somehow. Uh, I'm from Central City, and I, um, work with this big guy from Metropolis. I think you know him, and if you don't..."  
  
He was The Flash. I remember Batman telling me the League's identities a couple of months ago. Batman had always made it his business to know everything about everyone.  
  
Even if they didn't want him to.  
  
I opened the door and invited the young, attractive man inside. After I closed it behind him, he started to explain.  
  
"Sorry. I was following her, and I saw you pick her up at the bar... That sounds kinda hot, but, anyway, I was just guessing that you might be..."  
  
"Batgirl?" I finished for him. When he nodded, I added, "Then its safe to bet that you're Flash."  
  
"Yeah." He dug his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "How's she doing?"  
  
"She's asleep. The girl had gotten herself pretty wasted and will have a hell of a hangover in the morning."  
  
"It'd rather have a hangover than the sick feeling I've got now." Wally moved his youthful eyes to the floor in shame. He was obviously feeling culpable for what The Justice League had done to their Thanagarian member.  
  
I noticed something in his eyes, a pure compassion for his friend. Maybe he was in love with her? Maybe he honestly cared for her?  
  
There was a loud crash from inside my room.  
  
"Shayera," Wally muttered and literally sped in her direction, nearly ripping the bedroom door from its hinges. I followed as quickly as I could and noted that an old vase had been knocked to the floor. I stepped around the glass and into my bathroom.  
  
The girl had her head over the toilet, vomiting all the alcohol from her system. Wally West held her hair away from her face and had placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. When she was through, he helped her sit down beside him and wrapped an arm around her trembling self. Tenderly, he brushed her hair behind her ears, kissed her temple, and allowed her to lean against him.  
  
"I've got you, Shy. You don't have to be alone. Not ever again. I promise," he whispered with his head laying on hers. When the tears began to fall from her eyes, I left the bathroom feeling as if I had witnessed a very intimate scene between either friends or lovers.  
  
I couldn't decide.  
  
After sweeping up the shattered vase, I went out to the living room and collapsed onto the couch. If Shayera and Wally had a good relationship, then maybe he could watch over her for a little while. She'd probably feel more comfortable with him anyway.  
  
It only took me five minutes to doze off. I didn't wake until morning.  
  
^V^  
  
I slowly opened my eyes to see Dick sitting in the chair beside me, watching the news. Without moving, I listened to the GNN report.  
  
"Just days ago, The Justice League forced the Thanagarian invaders to leave Earth. The real question is: Where does Hawkgirl fit into all this? Did she side with the enemy or her fellow superheroes?  
  
"Earlier this morning, Superman had stopped an uncontrollable fire in his home city of Metropolis. When asked about Hawkgirl, he simply replied with a 'No comment.' Wonder Woman and The Martian Manhunter are expected to meet with the United Nations today do discuss security measures for the planet. Whether or not Hawkgirl will be mentioned is unknown. I'm –"  
  
Dick shut off the television and tossed the remote onto the sofa. He looked tired and a little stressed. Sure enough, he gave a feeble smile when I sat up.  
  
"Morning," he said calmly. It just made me more troubled.  
  
"Hey." I groaned and got up to sit on his lap. "Miss me last night?" I asked playfully and buried my face in the crook of his neck.  
  
Immediately, I could feel his body relax against mine. "Don't I always?" He wrapped his strong arms around me and pulled me closer. "Her story is all over the news," he stated. "I'm not sure if it's a good idea to keep her in the apartment of the commissioner's daughter."  
  
"Dick, you know I don't want her to be moved around if she's not up for it," I said and raised my eyes to look at him.  
  
He halfheartedly nodded. "All right, but, just so you know, some reporters were harassing Lois Lane because of her 'supposed' relationship with Superman."  
  
I rolled my eyes. "She doesn't even know who Superman is let alone how he feels about Hawkgirl... If that reporter comes to Gotham to interview Batman –"  
  
"She wouldn't," Dick assured. "Bruce wouldn't let that happen."  
  
"She's still a reporter," I reminded. "She'd do anything for a story."  
  
Dick narrowed his sparkling eyes and grinned. "Whatever. Hey, I brought you donuts and coffee."  
  
"You're an angel."  
  
"I know." He kissed the top of my head, and I crawled off of him. Dick took my hand and led me to the kitchen, where I sat down as he poured a cup of coffee.  
  
The redheaded Wally West then joined us as well, and Dick's jaw dropped. I would have killed to have a camera at that moment. It was priceless.  
  
"Dick Grayson, meet Wally West. He's The Flash."  
  
"Oh." His expression promptly changed, and he extended a hand. "Good to meet you."  
  
"Same here." Wally shook it and then moved his eyes to the pastries. "Wow. Donuts." He had already begun to salivate.  
  
"Help yourself," I told, and he instantaneously grabbed two jelly donuts and a mug of coffee. "Is she awake?"  
  
Wally nodded and spoke with a full mouth. "Bathroom."  
  
"I'd better go," Dick informed. "I've got things to do." He said his goodbyes and planted a brief kiss on my lips. Then he was gone.  
  
"How's she doing?" I asked the hero that sat across from me and snatched a powdered donut from the box.  
  
He shrugged. "Pretty good, I guess. The fact that I can tell she's hurting kinda freaks me out. She was up half the night, crying."  
  
"Well, at least she has you."  
  
He slightly chuckled. "Yeah right. Little, immature Flash to the rescue because she won't talk to her boyfriend."  
  
I was puzzled. "But aren't you –?"  
  
"Nah. She's like my very hot, older stepsister or something." Wally chugged his coffee and started on his third pastry. "It's Johnny who she really lost, though. She ripped his heart out and broke her own when she sided with that Thanagarian bastard..." He raised his eyes from the food to look at me. "I get why she did it, you know. That's the reason I forgave her."  
  
I ran a hand through my messy hair and nodded. "Do you think the others need to see where she's coming from?"  
  
"You know they won't let themselves see that maybe we hadn't been the family she chose because she didn't really grow up with us. She had been a cop and a fiancée long before being part of the League." He sighed. "I don't care what they say. I'm still going to be here for her, no matter what."  
  
Wally made me smile; he had the heart of a child and managed to see the good in people. Something told me that he had probably forgiven Hawkgirl moments after the initial betrayal. He loved her very dearly, and her mistake wouldn't change that.  
  
"Morning," Shayera greeted softly and took a seat beside Wally. Her hair was a land of chaos, and the dark circles beneath her eyes were swollen from yesterday's tears.  
  
Wally sent her a radiant smile and poured her a cup of coffee. "There's donuts if you're hungry."  
  
She shook her head. "Don't mention food, please." The Thanagarian sipped her black coffee and closed her eyes as the hot liquid rolled down her throat.  
  
I had to admit that she fascinated me. Her beauty, her wings, her despair, and their friendship complemented Shayera perfectly.  
  
The young Mr. West finished his coffee and began a conversation. "Shy, we should start our own team. 'The Just Us League.' Batgirl would want to join, wouldn't you?"  
  
I couldn't get a word out; he had sprung the idea so spontaneously.  
  
"What?" Shayera asked.  
  
"Batgirl knows Supergirl, don't you? She could join. What other 'girls' do we know who could join?"  
  
"Shut up, Wally," she ordered jokingly. "You little horn-dog."  
  
"Yeah, but I'm a stud, and working with a bunch of hotties would be sweet."  
  
I laughed with the other two and noticed how smiles suited them both. I also noted the slight uneasiness in her green eyes that she had masked very well; I wondered if she was resisting her need to trust us.  
  
"Anyway, I've got to be off. People to save, you know." Wally stood and kissed the girl's cheek. "Call if you need anything, babe." She gave a nod, and he left. An unsettling silence between the two of us resulted, and her being uncomfortable was the last thing I wanted.  
  
"I don't understand," she said and looked at me with a puzzled face.  
  
I knew it was time to explain. "Even though we've never met, I felt for you. I don't want to make it sound like I pity you or anything; I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You don't need to be alone it this."  
  
"Actually, I meant your hair. You were a blonde last night."  
  
"Oh!" My cheeks started to burn with embarrassment. "That was a wig."  
  
She grinned. "Like you said, we've never really met. You're Barbara Gordon, right?" After I nodded, she shook my hand. "I'm Shayera Hol." She chewed her bottom lip for a second and then added, "Barbara?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No problem."  
  
^V^  
  
"Ha!" I heard her cry from the next room. I walked in to see her practicing on my punching bag. Her blows were swift but accurate, strong but desperate. It was as if Shayera were fighting an imaginary assailant, someone who she despised a great deal.  
  
The Thanagarian made a roundhouse kick and literally ripped the bag from its chains, sending it across the room and into my wall. The bag laid on the floor, spilt in half, and the girl showed remorse on her face.  
  
"Don't worry about it," I said. "I'll get Bruce to buy me another." I offered a smile but didn't receive one in return.  
  
Shayera sat down on a chair and motioned me to join her. "Does Batman know I'm here?" she asked me when I sat down. "Because I don't want to drive a wedge between you and –"  
  
"You won't."  
  
"I just don't want my predicament to be yours as well."  
  
After picking up a boxing glove, I began to play with it, wrapping the strings around my finger.  
  
"You don't know him like I do. You don't know that he loves and forgives, even if he is thickheaded or too stubborn to show it sometimes. Somehow, a person has to look past that hardened exterior. For example, I know he'd die for me."  
  
She moved her eyes away from me with sadness on her face. I had struck a nerve; that was obvious.  
  
"John once said that he'd give his life for me, and I almost ended up getting him killed." Shayera slightly shook her head. "Some gratitude, huh?"  
  
"You felt obligated to side with Thanagar because it was your birthplace. Flash, Nightwing, and I understand that. We probably would have done the same in your position. Just give the League a little time, and I'm sure they'll –"  
  
"Don't," she interrupted. "I've been trying to rationalize what I had done to them, but there is no excuse. Not a single one can justify my actions. I can't even justify myself to myself, let alone anyone else."  
  
Shayera knew that she had done wrong, but I could see that she wasn't going to hurt herself or anyone else. Although sorry for her actions, she didn't want to be pardoned. She wanted to redeem herself on her own terms.  
  
Shayera wanted to earn the trust she had lost, even if it took years.  
  
"I have an idea, Shayera. Take a shower, change your clothes, and crawl into bed. I'll order some Chinese, and we'll talk."  
  
Surprise appeared on her face, and she smiled. "Sure."  
  
^V^  
  
After both of us had washed up, the food had arrived. I paid the delivery boy and carried the take-out to my bedroom.  
  
"Here," I said and placed the boxes before her. I then sat down next to Shayera and covered myself with the comforters.  
  
She swallowed a bite of her egg roll and slightly laughed. "You act as if you do this often."  
  
"That's because I do. You see, whenever Kara or I get into a jam or have boy problems, we get together and eat."  
  
"Kara?"  
  
"Kara Kent," I clarified. "Supergirl."  
  
"It's nice that you are so close."  
  
I nodded and mixed my chicken and rice with my plastic fork. "Yeah. We try to spend time together. The fact that she's faster than a speeding bullet helps a lot."  
  
She picked at her food as well; there was so much regret in her emerald eyes. "Diana and I had never gotten that close. We rarely talked." She shook her head in humiliation. "We were just so damn different."  
  
"Well, you felt more comfortable with Lantern and Flash."  
  
"And J'onn. We were both orphans, and he made missing home a little more bearable."  
  
With an assuring smile, I placed a hand on her arm. "Well, now you've got me. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone at any time. I work long hours."  
  
"Thanks, Barbara."  
  
"It's my pleasure."  
  
Unexpectedly, she took my hand in her own. "You have got a good heart. Batman should consider himself fortunate to have a woman like you at his side."  
  
I squeezed her hand. "Thanks, but that comment applies to you as well."  
  
Shayera slightly rolled her eyes and moved her gaze back to her food. She then mumbled, "Maybe at one time," under her breath.  
  
After removing my hand from her grasp, I brushed a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear, and she reacted with a small grin.  
  
^V^  
  
I felt a breeze and slowly opened my eyes. Shayera and I had fallen asleep not long after we had finished our food. The clock on my nightstand said it was ten past three. We had gained about three hours of shut-eye.  
  
The Thanagarian still slept, so I crawled out of my bed and walked to the living room. I wasn't too surprised to find my mentor in the shadows, waiting for me.  
  
His icy eyes bore into me with anger, and his cape covered his body. I could sense a lecture brewing.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Helping a woman deal with her mistakes."  
  
"Barbara, you know better than to team up with a –"  
  
"Traitor?" I finished and crossed my arms over my chest. "Some traitor. She was burned from two sides and lost everything in the process."  
  
"Did she?" When I raised an eyebrow, he stated, "We didn't terminate her position on the League; Hawkgirl resigned."  
  
I had to stop my jaw from dropping. "You're kidding."  
  
He didn't respond.  
  
"But why did Flash feel so guilty?"  
  
The Dark Knight's expression didn't change. "He believes we drove her to it."  
  
"How so?"  
  
Once again, he kept silent. I was getting annoyed, and he could tell.  
  
"I want you back on the streets tomorrow night. Nightwing will be out of Gotham by the afternoon." Batman turned his back to me and walked toward my open window. After shooting out a line, he left me.  
  
Shayera was no longer asleep when I returned; she had actually changed into her own clothes.  
  
"What's going on?" I questioned and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Are you leaving? It's only half-past three."  
  
"Your boss was here, right? He wants me out."  
  
"He didn't say that, and he wouldn't. You should know that much about him."  
  
She let out a dry chuckle. "They obviously didn't know me, and I didn't know the League."  
  
"They didn't? You did save Lantern's life by betraying your own kind. I think they all knew you would."  
  
Shayera looked away from my winning gaze and stood from her seat on the mattress. She was a brave and powerful woman, but I couldn't help but notice the sadness in her posture and the pain on her face.  
  
"Why did you resign?" I asked her and stood as well.  
  
"Because what they had decided was illogical," she snapped. "Traitors deserve to die a traitor's death, and they chose suspension instead of execution."  
  
"This isn't Thanagar. They aren't an army. We're all people, and we all make bad decisions. It happens."  
  
She turned her back to me, like Batman had, and crossed her strong arms over her chest. The poor soul was punishing herself for her treacherous deeds.  
  
"Go back to them," I pleaded. "You know you want to."  
  
"And be on the receiving end of their looks, knowing that they are hesitant to trust me? They'll second guess me and analyze anything I tell them. I just couldn't live with myself."  
  
"This isn't about dignity or honor anymore. You've already slaughtered that. Don't you see that it's about family, Shayera?"  
  
She hadn't moved. Her eyes were fixated on the night that lay outside my bedroom window.  
  
It had begun to rain.  
  
"I need to find myself, Barbara. I need to know who I am and where I stand before I can forgive myself or make amends with any of them." When I put a hand on her shoulder, she placed a hand atop mine. I knew she'd find her way back from the lost valley she had wondered into.  
  
She was that kind of a person.  
  
I also knew they'd welcome her with open arms whenever she decided to return to them, but, until then, I'd be her anchor if she needed one.  
  
"I better go."  
  
I nodded and watched Shayera Hol open the window and climb out onto the ledge. She was truly a creature of the sky.  
  
"Call me, Kara Kent in Smallville, or Dick Grayson in Bludhaven if you need anything at all. That range includes everything from pizza to training."  
  
She sent me a slanted smile. "Thanks, Barbara." Shayera then flew away without looking back.  
  
Although I wanted to watch her, my eyes found themselves starting at a figure in an alley close by. From what I could see of the dark form, it was a man who didn't resemble Batman, Nightwing, or The Flash.  
  
A green aura suddenly shielded his body, and he flew up and in the direction opposite of Hawkgirl.  
  
I closed my window and smiled in satisfaction.  
  
"She'll be back in no time."  
  
^The End of Part I^  
  
Now, I need to know if I should continue this trilogy. Please review. I beg of you... And, if anyone knows, where do Hawkgirl and John live. I've heard Midway City and New York.  
  
Thank you!  
  
^^Coming soon: How is the League adjusting? How is Green Lantern doing? Is Flash the only one who really cares anymore?  
  
Stay tuned...^^ 


	2. The Here and Now

The Here and Now (Part II of my Post--'Starcrossed' Trilogy.)  
  
By: Jade O'Neal  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They are property of DC Comics, Warner Bros. and others.  
  
Spoilers: STARCROSSED. (Take note: I haven't seen the episode myself and have only drawn conclusions from bits and pieces of spoilers and pictures that I've seen on the web. This could very well be classified as an alternate universe fiction.)  
  
Note: This story isn't told from Barb's POV, so it won't be as serious as the last. (Not a mistake. I promise.)  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language  
  
Now, on with the trilogy...  
  
V  
  
"So what do you think of her?" I asked Batman as we watched Supergirl and Superman practice in the training room. I wasn't really interested in the fight.  
  
I was paying more attention to the red skirt that continued to ride up...  
  
He grunted and interrupted my train of thought.  
  
Although still an amateur, she was quick on her feet, smart, and intuitive.  
  
Plus, she was a hottie... A blonde hottie.  
  
"She's young and inexperienced, but perhaps with a little training, she'll –"  
  
"Become the replacement?" I finished dryly. When he didn't respond, I slightly rolled my eyes and focused my attention on the Kryptonians.  
  
Superman was winning, but Supergirl and gotten a few clean shots at her "cousin." She was pretty good, but she was no Hawkgirl.  
  
That was for sure.  
  
As much as I enjoyed watching a babe battle, I would have appreciated a session between the newbie and Wonder Woman even more. So I left.  
  
Take a guess where I headed when I was bored.  
  
The kitchen.  
  
Duh.  
  
J'onn and Diana were sitting at the table, in silence. She held an iced mocha in her hands, taking slow sips through the straw, and he was eating his valuable Oreos. If someone didn't know them like I did, that person would have thought everything was normal.  
  
They'd be very wrong.  
  
Things weren't normal. They hadn't been for three months.  
  
I still couldn't find my way around the new kitchen, let alone the new Watchtower; I was used to the old design. Unfortunately, we had destroyed that one. Supes and Bats had somehow designed and built this new model for The Justice League.  
  
When you really think about it, it probably wasn't too hard for a billionaire and a reporter to accomplish such a task. They were smart, secretive men who wouldn't have a hard time pulling it all off without the world knowing.  
  
I snagged a sub from the fridge and gave a slight nod to the duo as I left the kitchen. Honestly, even though a lot of time had passed since Hawkgirl's resignation, I couldn't get myself to really socialize with any one of my five co-workers.  
  
As far as I was concerned, she had left because of them.  
  
Now there was such and emptiness in the satellite. It was too quiet and uncomfortable, like a cloud of unhappiness had fallen on top of us. We weren't talking like we all did before. We weren't joking around, and there was no sense of unity anymore.  
  
Conversations were limited and brief. None of us saw one another outside our base, except when we were on a mission. Honestly, it was ridiculous. Instead of severing all ties with Hawkgirl, we had cut all ties within the League.  
  
That's probably what the Thanagarians had wanted.  
  
Every single one of us was on edge, waiting for the next betrayal to happen, even though we knew it wouldn't come.  
  
I trusted the team with my life, and I wished they felt the same about me.  
  
The most unrealistic part of the new atmosphere was that there was no bickering. Usually, I'd be messing with Hawkgirl, and she'd be threatening me with her mace. Other times, she and John would be at each other's throats, criticizing and correcting each other.  
  
But their loud mouths weren't heard anymore.  
  
Well, maybe she wasn't the reason for all of the strangeness. Maybe the mood came with damned satellite.  
  
Things were good for Shayera Hol, or should I say "Sara Hall," lately. She had moved on with life by getting a new place and a brand new job. I was proud of her, and I bet GL would have been too, if he knew.  
  
There he was, sitting on that solitary chair in the monitor womb and watching over the world we had sworn to protect. He looked so...  
  
Depressed.  
  
And lonesome.  
  
We all were pretending to have moved on since Hawkgirl's departure, but he was the least convincing. He looked like a child whose lollipop had been taken from him.  
  
I hated the fact that he was hurting. I wanted to help him, but he wouldn't let me close. He didn't want anything to remind him of the gorgeous Thanagarian that he believed he had lost. Somehow, Lantern knew that I was keeping in touch with her; he probably could smell her on me.  
  
He hated me for it.  
  
I could tell.  
  
"Hey, Flash," Supergirl greeted when she stopped beside me, wiping her pretty face with a towel. "What's going on?"  
  
Trying hard not to let her notice that I was checking her out, I gave her a weak smile. "Nothing. How'd practice go? Did 'Big Blue' teach you something new?"  
  
"Clark told me I did well, but Batman scorned the heck out of me." She offered a small laugh and her brilliant smile. "So, are we still on for tonight?"  
  
Confused, my forehead wrinkled, and I raised an eyebrow at her. I didn't exactly remember asking the cutie out. Maybe she was asking me out? What a lucky day.  
  
"Where we goin', Babe?"  
  
She playfully rolled her bright blue eyes. "Nice try, Wally. Don't you remember Babs inviting us to go clubbing in Gotham with her and Dick?"  
  
The light bulb in my head turned on. "Oh yeah. Sure." I then found myself glancing at The Green Lantern. "Do you think she'd care if I brought a friend?"  
  
"No. Who've you got in mind?" 'Mini'-Supes asked, but I didn't answer her. I walked in GL's direction instead, but he didn't even detect me; the "world" had his undivided attention.  
  
That or he was ignoring me.  
  
"Hey Greens," I said and snatched a bite from my sub-sandwich. "How's it hanging?"  
  
The Lantern sent a glare from the corner of his radiant eye. He wasn't about to act like my best friend; he couldn't.  
  
"So, ah, you're off tonight. Right? Wonder Woman takes monitor duty next."  
  
"What do you want?" he questioned in his frightening drill-sergeant way.  
  
"Just curious. I was wondering if you'd like to get some drinks after work. You know, we haven't gone out in a while."  
  
"I'm busy."  
  
"Doing what?" I snapped. "Wallowing in self-pity? Exercising to the point that you can't move anymore? Watching the tube and eating ice cream straight from the carton? Come on, GL. You know that's no way to live."  
  
"Go away, Flash."  
  
I shook my head. "No. You need to get out and have some fun. You need to dance, get drunk, talk to women, and get laid." When he sent me a disgusted glare, I shrugged. "All right. Scratch the dancing bit; it was just a suggestion."  
  
He had to choke back a chuckle, and I gave a satisfied smirk.  
  
"Oh. The Lantern can smile. I guess he's not made of stone." Carefully, I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Seriously dude, come out with us tonight."  
  
An eyebrow rose. "Us? Am I supposed to believe you have friends?"  
  
I rolled my eyes in return. "Ha. Ha. The straight man has become the comic."  
  
V  
  
I knocked on the door to Barbara's apartment, the place where we had first met. John stood behind me with his strong hands stuffed into his jean pockets, attempting to act casual.  
  
He was failing miserably.  
  
The ex-Marine wore a pair of jeans and a simple dark blue, dress shirt. I, on the other hand, wore kakis and a red polo.  
  
Why go against what naturally looked amazing on me?  
  
To my surprise, Dick Grayson answered the door wearing his usual black slacks and shirt. Ever since I we had been introduced, we gotten along beautifully. He and I were both handsomely young but immature at times; I guess that's what attracted lovely ladies to us...or him, really.  
  
He and Barbara, from what they and Kara had told me, had been an unofficial item for a long time. They had only started "dating" about six or seven months ago.  
  
Lucky bastard.  
  
If I could have a girl who could arrest a bad guy and disarm a bomb in a single bound... Wow.  
  
That would be so hot.  
  
"Who's this?" Nightwing – err – Dick asked when he caught sight of the lug beside me.  
  
"This happens to be one of my best friends, John Stewart." Something flashed in Dickie's dark eyes, and I knew he recognized the name. "John, this is Dick Grayson. He's a cop from Bludhaven." They shook hands and exchanged greetings. Dick then led us inside.  
  
I liked Barbara's apartment. It was so homey and cheerful. The refreshing thing was that she and Dick were a whole lot different when compared to their boss. They were so lighthearted.  
  
"Wally!" Babs called and walked into her living room to hug me. She looked fabulous in her off-gold dress, and I almost didn't want to let go.  
  
"You look awesome, Babsy."  
  
"Thanks. Hey, who's your friend?"  
  
After I introduced John to the redheaded vixen, her eyes immediately began to dazzle.  
  
"It's very nice to meet you, John. I hope you don't mind loud music and women rubbing up against you because that's what we're probably going to experience."  
  
"Oh please," I said and gave my partner a friendly smack on the back. "After a few drinks, Johnny won't mind a bit." When I glanced over the room, I noted that we were missing our fifth party. "Where's Kara?"  
  
"Right here," she answered and joined us. I wasn't used to her wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a brown wig, but she had to use the disguise to keep her identity a secret. Clark's cousin didn't want the world to know she was Supergirl.  
  
Although I'd love to tear those camouflages right off of her fine-looking face, I resisted and just studied her outfit. She wore a black tank, black boots, and a sequined, bright pink miniskirt. She was adorable.  
  
"John, this is Kara Kent."  
  
"Kent?" he repeated. "You related to Clark Kent?" When she nodded, he easily put two and two together, but said nothing.  
  
V  
  
"I like the way you move," I sang from my seat at the bar beside John and Dick. Barbara and Kara were dancing by themselves, and we were watching, trying to act "cool." I didn't need much help in that department, and neither did Dick. John on the other hand...  
  
He was still brooding, totally dragging on our style. Just by looking at him, you could tell he was uncomfortable.  
  
Good.  
  
Honestly, I wanted the marine to sulk all night; he had to realize how sorry he really was. John had to see and really feel the giant void Shayera had left in his life.  
  
They were both extremely stubborn, and I knew neither of them would agree to meeting with the other.  
  
In other words, I'd have to force them on each other. If that meant ripping John Stewart apart before he learned the truth about his feelings, so be it. They were going to make up within the year, or my name wasn't Wally West.  
  
"Having a good time, Johnny?" I asked the heap of misery beside me with a devilish grin on my strikingly good-looking face.  
  
John's answer was swallowing another shot of Jack Daniels' whiskey. I couldn't help but smile at myself.  
  
"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm going to get my groove on," I announced and finished my beer. After making my way to Kara and Babs, I slipped between them and began to dance to the Outkast remix. Those two gals were crazy on the dance floor, and I didn't mind one bit.  
  
Who in his right mind would?  
  
Soon enough, Dick stole Barb and left Kara with me. The two of us continued with our grinding, enjoying the feel of the other's body against our own. Well, at least I was.  
  
Kara looked up at me with her baby-blue eyes and smiled. She ran a hand through my red hair and pulled me closer with the other. My hands found their way to the swell of her hips, and her smile grew.  
  
Then Dick ruined the moment by tapping me on the shoulder.  
  
Jerk.  
  
"What?" I yelled over the music and whirled around to face him.  
  
"Looks like your friend is doing a whole lot better," he smartly stated and motioned toward John. The supposedly grief-stricken superhero was talking to an attractive, dark-skinned female and actually wore a smile on his face.  
  
Damn it.  
  
"Excuse me kids. Wally needs to save the day." I left them on the floor and raced to his side, without the use of my super-speed, and put an arm around him. "Hey. What's wrong? Why are you leaving me on the floor to fend for myself? You know how I am when you're not around: insecure."  
  
Before John could even retaliate, the girl walked away.  
  
Mission accomplished.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded and threw my arm off of him. "I was trying to talk to her. Isn't that what you said I should do?"  
  
"Well ..."  
  
"Don't. Let's not discuss this. I'm going to try and explain to her. Don't follow me." He aggressively stood from his stool and stomped off in the opposite direction.  
  
I had screwed up big time. He wasn't supposed to hook up with just any chick.  
  
That chick was supposed to be Shayera.  
  
Damn it all to Hell.  
  
Damn him.  
  
Oh, Shy. Please forgive him... and me.  
  
V  
  
"Wally, you can't be tearing yourself up over this. He's moving on," Kara kindly whispered into my ear, although her whispers were forced because of the music she had to fight.  
  
I ignored the suggestion and swallowed another shot of scotch.  
  
"Jesus, Walls. You know they have to figure it all out for themselves. They can't just roll over and make up without talking to each other first." Dick lightly padded me on the back, like I was a kid throwing a tempter tantrum. "Face it. They aren't ready to see each other, let alone discuss anything."  
  
Barbara nodded. "Dick's right. John needs to deal with how he feels before anything can be done. Let it be. Let time mend their wounds."  
  
The room was starting to spin. "Stop talking so phili – philiso – philidel – no... Wait. Phil –'"  
  
"Philosophical?" Kara finished for me.  
  
"That's the word."  
  
Okay. So I had a few too many drinks. It's not like I didn't have a good reason for them. Shy's life was ruined because I thought it would be neat to take John clubbing.  
  
God, I am so stupid.  
  
Dick shook his head. "Maybe I should take you home, Walls. I mean, you look like you've swallowed a dead fish... a ton of dead fish."  
  
I threw him a glare but didn't know if it actually hit him. I blacked out and fell over.  
  
My night was going real well.  
  
V  
  
I felt warmth upon my face and slowly began to open my heavy eyes. Hoping to find a half-dressed Kara beside me, I rolled over but found nothing but an empty bed.  
  
A bed that didn't belong to me.  
  
A bed that sat in a bedroom, which had a U.S. Marine Corps poster by the window.  
  
Two guesses to who took me to his Detroit home last night.  
  
The only good thing was that John couldn't have brought a girl home too. Barbara probably had stuck him with me to avoid that kind of situation.  
  
Ha.  
  
Mission completed.  
  
With an aching head and a weak body, I carefully swung my legs over the side of the bed and got up. The apartment smelled like eggs, and I grinned with excitement. John was cooking, and I was so hungry.  
  
I wanted food, even though I wanted to barf my lungs up.  
  
"Morning, Hotshot. Feeling better?" John greeted with an unusually chipper tone. He had just flipped an omelet onto a plate and set it onto his kitchen table. "Want some coffee?"  
  
"Sure." I plopped into a seat and waited for him to hand me a mug. When he did, I quickly gulped down the hot liquid, knowing that it should sober me up a little.  
  
"Have fun with Jack?"  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "Jack...?"  
  
"Daniels."  
  
I rolled my bloodshot eyes in annoyance. "Shut up, Mr. Green Lantern of Sector 2814, or you'll get an ass beating from Mr. Flash of Central City."  
  
"I'd like to see you try."  
  
"Don't tempt me." I began to massage my temples and yawned. "So, did everyone else just go home?"  
  
"Pretty much."  
  
"Good."  
  
"That Kara looked kind of disappointed."  
  
Surprised much? Hell yeah. "Really?"  
  
He nodded. "Something going on between the two of you?"  
  
I shrugged. "Hell if I know, but who wouldn't fall in love with this face?"  
  
He chuckled. "The one that looks like he hadn't slept in a month?" When I stuck my tongue out at him, he sat down across from me, his expression taking a turn toward seriousness. "What was with that stunt you pulled at the bar table?"  
  
I gave my best innocent face. "Stunt? What stunt?"  
  
"Give it up, Wally. You didn't want me to talk to that girl and ruined any chance of me getting to know her by acting like my..."  
  
"Boyfriend?" I completed with a smirk. "You know you liked it."  
  
"Shut up, Wally. For once act like an adult."  
  
"Jeez. Simmer down, Greens. I was just trying to help."  
  
His face had reddened, indicating that he was legitimately pissed. "Helping who?"  
  
"Obviously not you anymore. I thought you cared about Shaye –"  
  
"Don't!" he ordered and put a hand up to hush me. "Just don't talk about her."  
  
"She has a name, you know."  
  
"Leave her out of this. She's not my girlfriend. She never was to begin with."  
  
Now I was getting irritated. "That's right. She threw her life away for a nobody, six nobodies to be exact. Sure, she gave it up for people she didn't care about. Makes perfect sense."  
  
His radiant eyes had narrowed dangerously. "She lied to me."  
  
"She lied to all of us because she thought she was doing the right thing. She thought that she would be saving her world, not destroying ours." I huffed loudly and crossed my arms over my chest. "John, you are a stubborn bastard sometimes."  
  
"And you're a fool. Stop acting like an adolescent, Wally. Stop protecting her for no good reason. She betrayed us! What more do you need? A signed letter saying that she cheated us and almost got us all killed?"  
  
"No! I can't believe you. You're such an asshole. Shayera saved your life, and she didn't have to. Shy didn't have to face off with that Hro Talak son of a bitch, but she did anyway."  
  
John stood from his chair and slammed it into the table. "For what? Because she cared? Bull shit. She never gave a damn about anyone of us. If she had wanted to be part of the League, she would have stayed. Wally, she left me, for Christ's sake!"  
  
My jaw dropped as comprehension flowed into my simple mind. "I get it now. This isn't about the team. It's about you. She left you without so much as a goodbye kiss, and you hate her for it."  
  
He looked at me as if I had stolen a part of his heart. John was little boy again, scared of the world around him, afraid of never holding his true love again.  
  
And I had an idea.  
  
A very evil idea.  
  
"You have every right to be furious. That stupid bitch used you and then threw you away like yesterday's trash." When his eyes grew wide in horror, I inched closer to him. "What a dirty, good-for-nothing whore."  
  
"Watch your mouth," he warned in a low tone.  
  
"She just wanted you to satisfy her 'after-hour' needs. Thanagarians probably can't go long without getting any, and the idea of screwing a human must have triggered a love-making sense in the back of her double- crossing brain."  
  
"Wally..."  
  
"You don't have to explain. I bet she couldn't wait to compare you to all the other guys back home. Let's face it; Shy's no Diana. She'd been around the block a few –"  
  
I was cut off by a punch to the jaw, something I would have been too fast for if I hadn't been experiencing a hangover. My back hit the kitchen table hard, but I only sent John a smile. His look of confusion was priceless.  
  
"That proves it. You are in love with her." I steadied myself and wiped the blood from my lip with the back of my sleeve. "Now you just have to tell her."  
  
John turned away from me to face one of his windows. It had begun to rain outside.  
  
"Listen. I had to know, John. She deserves someone who –"  
  
He interrupted me. "I do love her, Wally. She even admitted to me that she loved me too, but it wasn't enough to keep her around... I wasn't enough to keep her around.  
  
"Shayera was lost, and I couldn't bring her back, no matter how much I loved her or how much she loved me. It wasn't enough for us."  
  
"Johnny, I'm sorry. I didn't know."  
  
"I know."  
  
I felt terrible. He wasn't angry with Shayera. He was angry with himself.  
  
Why hadn't I seen it earlier?  
  
"Go to her. She lives in an apartment in Midway. I'll give you the address. It's –"  
  
"Stop it. Don't you see that it's over? We're done, Wally. That's it. No happy ending. No kiss goodnight. Just tears, and a whole lot of rain." The broken Green Lantern walked up to the window and placed his hands on its frame. "After you finish your breakfast, go home."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me. Go home."  
  
"She misses you," I blurted and immediately bit my tongue in reaction.  
  
After a short pause, he asked, "How's she doing?"  
  
The smile I had worn returned. "Pretty good. She's working, you know, at a museum where she can talk about weapons and stuff. Other than losing a few pounds, she's the same old, powerful, stubborn, independent Shayera Hol."  
  
I instantly noticed the grin that had crept onto his solemn face. I had been right.  
  
He was proud of the winged redhead.  
  
"You know, she might want to talk to you. I mean, you were pretty close. Right?"  
  
He shook his head. "We never got that serious."  
  
"Oh." Suddenly, my phone rang. I had received a text message from "Feathers." Apparently I had forgotten my change of clothes at her house, and she wanted them out. I'd never remember to pick them up.  
  
"If you need anything, GL..."  
  
"I know." Still without looking at me, he shook his head and sighed. "Feel better. See you on Monday."  
  
And so I left after I slipped on my shoes. We had a major obstacle in our way now. Not only was Shy feeling sorry for herself, but John was too.  
  
Somehow, I knew that Barbara had been right. I needed time to do its magic on them.  
  
I'm sure they'd be all right in the end.  
  
At least, I hope they will.  
  
(End of Part II)  
  
Thanks for all the feedback, and I hope this installment was as good as the first. Wally's a hard character to work with, but I think I did okay. (R & R's anyone?)  
  
Sorry it took so long to update, but I was SO busy. I just wanted this part up before the Starcrossed premier Saturday night.  
  
Coming soon: Shayera visits her evil twin and learns something about herself. John ends up in Midway City, not exactly looking for Hawkgirl. Do they even care anymore?  
  
Stay tuned... 


	3. The Beginning

The Beginning (Part III of my Post--'Starcrossed' Trilogy.)  
  
By: Jade O'Neal  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They are property of DC Comics, Warner Bros. and others.  
  
Spoilers: STARCROSSED. (Take note: I have changed a few of the occurrences in "Starcrossed" to better suit my story. Sorry if you've got a problem with that...)  
  
Rating: PG-13/R for language and ADULT content.  
  
Now, on with the trilogy...  
  
)V(  
  
After adding a pinch of pepper to the vegetable stir-fry I was preparing, I turned off the stove. Because I was proud of my accomplishment, I set the small kitchen table wearing a smile.  
  
I had spent that entire Sunday morning training and studying a new form of martial arts. The young Dick Grayson, whose alter ego happened to be Nightwing, had been my teacher for months now. He believed I had relied on my wings a great deal in the past (go figure) and needed to learn how to fight if I somehow lost the ability to fly.  
  
He, being a gymnast, possessed an incredible knowledge of muscles and how to fortify them. His girlfriend, Barbara Gordon, even made him study up on how birds strengthened their wings so he'd be more capable of helping me improve. Dick claimed that my legs needed work, that my upper body's potency outweighed my lower body's.  
  
He was probably right.  
  
The officer from the Bludhaven Police Department walked into my "kitchen" with wet hair; he had taken a quick shower before lunch. By the look on his handsome face, I could tell that he wouldn't be staying any longer.  
  
"What happened?" I asked with a slanted grin and poured a glass of water for myself.  
  
"I need to get to Gotham. Looks like Two-Face escaped again, and Babs said it would be a good idea to give Batman some backup."  
  
I nodded. "Well if you need anything, just call."  
  
"Thanks Shy, but we can handle it. You just stay here and do whatever you've been doing. You're looking better than you have in a long time." Dick then hugged me and planted a kiss on my cheek. "I'll have to take a rain check on the stir-fry. See you soon?"  
  
I forced a smile. "Yeah. Bye Dick."  
  
"By the way, Alfred is sending you a package of his world famous brownies. If I were you, I'd get started on a 'Thank You' card ASAP."  
  
"Will do. Say hello to Barbara."  
  
With that, Dick left my humble loft. Now alone and in silence, I had quickly lost my appetite and occupied myself by packing the food in Tupperware containers.  
  
Somehow, the television still managed to catch my eye.  
  
"Last night, there was another sighting of the secretive hero, believed to be the returned Hawkgirl. Midway City has had about twenty reports of Hawkgirl stopping muggers, back robberies, and hostage situations.  
  
"Is this the same Hawkgirl that was once part of The Justice League just six months ago? The same Hawkgirl that had allowed her people to occupy Earth? No one knows for sure, but the public still holds mixed feelings."  
  
The screen switched to an older woman in the middle of a shopping mall. "Honestly, I think she's not here to hurt us. Let the angel come."  
  
A younger male, about seventeen years old was interviewed next. "Dude, that Hawkgirl was overlooked in the past. Everyone made a deal 'bout Wonder Woman, but Hawkgirl's where it's at. She's hot."  
  
"I think she's a traitor," a middle-aged man told the camera. "She used the League, and she used our planet. She had brought back Hitler's work camps; only it wasn't a sick man in charge. It was a freak with wings."  
  
I winced.  
  
"Well," a twenty-year-old female explained, "I think we need Hawkgirl to prove herself to us. When Superman had 'betrayed' the planet, we had given him time to make things right. Maybe she needs the same opportunity."  
  
The anchorwoman once again appeared on the screen. "The Mayor says it shouldn't be of any surprise; even Gotham had its anonymous hero before Batman announced his presence."  
  
I sighed and shut off the TV.  
  
{"Go back to them," Barbara pleaded. "You know you want to."  
  
"And be on the receiving end of their looks, knowing that they are hesitant to trust me? They'll second guess me and analyze anything I tell them. I just couldn't live with myself."  
  
"This isn't about dignity or honor anymore. You've already slaughtered that. Don't you see that it's about family, Shayera?"}  
  
)V(  
  
"Today marks the six month anniversary of The Thanagarian Invasion; it also –"  
  
I groaned and switched radio stations after I put on my ring. My muscles were tired from this morning's workout, but felt a little relaxed because of the hot shower I had just taken.  
  
With my skin still wet and only a towel around my waist, I walked to the kitchen and grabbed a soda from the fridge. My stomach was growling, and I realized that I had skipped breakfast. I had a craving for an omelet; Wally loved my stuffed omelets, and I tried to recall the last time I had made him one.  
  
I remembered.  
  
{"You were pretty close. Right?}  
  
His words were filing through my brain. He had asked me that three months ago.  
  
Close? I loved that girl more than I've ever loved anyone. She was my everything.  
  
{"We never got that serious."}  
  
Please. Nights wearing only bed sheets and sharing a carton of ice cream or fried rice couldn't be serious. Touching and tasting every inch of her body, caressing her, loving her, waking beside her... How could Wally even think that we were serious?  
  
But he knew I had lied to him.  
  
And to myself.  
  
Six long months had gone by since I had last heard her voice, since I had seen her smile, since she had betrayed –  
  
No! I promised myself that I wouldn't go there again. If he was right about anything, Wally knew that I shouldn't still be tearing myself apart. I had to move on.  
  
Without her.  
  
{She was sitting on my lap, straddling my hips with her hands placed on my shoulders. With the back of my couch propped behind me, I was comfortable. My arms were wrapped around her waist, and our bodies were enveloped in blankets.  
  
Her green eyes had been illuminated by the candlelight, and her auburn hair was a complete mess. I knew right then and there that I'd give the world for her, that I'd do everything in my power to keep her safe.  
  
God I loved her so much, but how could I have told her?  
  
She suddenly smiled and kissed my earlobe, followed by my temple.}  
  
"Diana to Green Lantern," I heard from my comm-link.  
  
I answered, "Lantern here."  
  
"There's a disturbance not too far from you. Perhaps you could take a look?"  
  
"Guess so."  
  
"All right. J'onn will telepathically send you the coordinates."  
  
"Thanks." I allowed my Corps uniform to appear on my body, and I was ready to go.  
  
)V(  
  
"Miss Davis?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
The security guard glanced at me quickly and then moved his eyes to my fake ID. I wore a dark, chin-length wig, one that matched the wig I had worn in the photo. When he smiled, I let out a soft sigh of relief.  
  
Another plus to having Batgirl as a friend: she could forge ID's like no other.  
  
"Who are you here to visit?" he asked me and returned the license.  
  
"Hawkgirl."  
  
"She's under tight security. We need you to leave your coat and bag here and pass through a metal detector. Do you understand?"  
  
I nodded and didn't hesitate to hand him my purse and leather duster. He wouldn't know that I was Thanagarian; I had no wings.  
  
At least no wings he could see...  
  
"Follow me, Miss," another officer requested, and I did as I was told.  
  
Of all the prisons in the nation, Arkham Asylum was one of the most protected and most heavily protected. The only person who could break in and out without detection was Batman himself.  
  
"Don't I know you from somewhere?" the young, blonde security guard asked me with a grin I couldn't read. "Have we met?"  
  
"No. I don't think so."  
  
"But I never forget a face, especially a attractive one." He was actually flirting with me.  
  
Men. Can't live with them. Don't want to live without them.  
  
"Thank you, but we've never met."  
  
After passing through all their tests and detectors, the guards led me to the visitor's room. I sat down in front of the glass and waited for the alternate version of myself.  
  
Then she came. It was like staring into a mirror, but she didn't hide behind black hair, colored contacts, and tons of makeup. She sat down on the opposite side of the glass and grinned devilishly when we made eye contact.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd visit," the former Justice Lord told into the phone after she had lifted it. "I mean, it's been six months since you lodged a knife into the Lantern's back."  
  
"I didn't come here to be criticized. I just wanted to ask you a few questions."  
  
She laughed. "Go ahead, 'Kimberly Davis.'"  
  
I narrowed my eyes, but chose to ignore her tone. "I was talking to Flash..." I paused when her expression suddenly changed. For a second, remorse crossed over her face, and I caught a glimpse of the softer side of Shayera Hol.  
  
That Shayera Hol.  
  
"He said the helmet the Thanagarian Army gave me matched the one you wore." Her features hardened when I spoke again. "Did Hro invade Earth in your dimension as well?"  
  
"He did."  
  
"And did you side with Thanagar?"  
  
"I did at first, and then I helped the Lords when I realized I had been 'misinformed.'"  
  
"They forgave you?"  
  
"Had to."  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"  
  
"Because I saved John from a abrupt death by killing Hro," she snapped.  
  
I had to stop my jaw from dropping and instantly pictured when I had prevented John's death.  
  
{Hro held the axe above his head, preparing to bring it down on Lantern. He wanted to murder my teammate.  
  
My friend.  
  
My lover.}  
  
"Makes sense. You all are killers anyway."  
  
She moved the receiver to the other ear and rolled her eyes. "Well, I knew it was one or the other. I couldn't have both."  
  
"You wanted both?"  
  
"Did you?"  
  
I lowered my "brown" eyes and bit my bottom lip. "No. I thought I wanted Thanagar, but not at the price I'd have to pay: billions of lives for a meaningless war..."  
  
"So losing John and the League was a better price?"  
  
"No, but that was my own fault. I shouldn't have been so naive. Why the hell would Thanagar want to protect Earth from the Gordarians? Did I really believe that we actually cared about another planet?"  
  
"You did at one time," she confirmed, "but you didn't know any better. You were just... following orders." She ran a hand through her long hair and leaned onto the table. "They lied to you from the start, before you could have been influenced by the humans and their customs. They never trusted you."  
  
She paused for a moment, as if she were recollecting her thoughts and then harshly whispered, "He never trusted you."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Unlike John who did trust you."  
  
"Sure, up until I sucker punched him."  
  
She shrugged. "Okay; that was a bad move. You didn't know the circumstances then."  
  
"But I should have."  
  
"Quit acting like a obdurate child. He loves you. You love him. Get out of here and find John; tell him how you feel."  
  
I raised my gaze to meet hers and felt my insides shiver. She didn't see my apprehension, though. I wouldn't let her "know" me. We were nothing alike, and I did not want her to think that we were.  
  
"Did you tell him?" I countered, and, to my surprise, she nodded. My jaw almost dropped.  
  
"I had already lost any chance of returning to Thanagar. The Lords and the planet that I had given everything to protect didn't respect me. There was nothing to lose."  
  
"But –"  
  
"Time's up," the guard interrupted. "Say goodbye. It's her dinner break."  
  
I stood to go, but she stopped me.  
  
"Quick question," she said. "Where the hell are your wings?"  
  
A smirk tugged at my lips as I slowly turned away from her. "I had them removed."  
  
)V(  
  
{"You're beautiful."  
  
She propped her head on her hand and looked down on me with those intense emerald eyes. With a chuckle, she stated, "You forget that flattery won't get you anywhere."  
  
"No I didn't." I then smoothed a few strands of her red hair and caressed her soft cheek. She was amazing in more ways than one, and I doubted she knew.  
  
Wow. Who would believe that I had died today? The bomb had stopped my heart, taken my life, but I couldn't care as long as she was safe.  
  
She had saved me, and now I was in Heaven.  
  
Who knew death could be such a wonderful thing?  
  
Who knew Heaven was the sickbay of the Watchtower?  
  
Her lovely fingers danced over my chest, twirling chest hairs and tracing muscles. I laughed, and she did the same.  
  
"What's wrong? Is the marine ticklish? I wonder if –" Her words were cut off by an avid kiss, which she immediately mimicked and permitted to intensify.  
  
My lips then left her mouth and started on a path down her jaw line and then to her throat. She rolled onto her back, and I crawled on top of her. Her elegant wings and her shapely legs spread simultaneously, inviting me to be part of her. The powerful wings then swallowed my body, and we made love again that night.}  
  
I landed in Midway City, in an alley located only blocks away from the town square. It was so quiet that I even considered leaving.  
  
Maybe J'onn had made a mistake.  
  
Maybe there was nothing wrong.  
  
Maybe this was an elaborate scam cooked up by Flash to have me run into her. Hadn't he mentioned an apartment? Where it was, I had no idea, but I never really wanted to know.  
  
I never really allowed myself to find out.  
  
"Somebody, stop him!" a woman yelled, and I whirled around to see a burglar racing out of a department store.  
  
In reality, the store was a Tiffany's and the burglar was Shade. He probably had stolen a few expensive gemstones that were big enough for J.LO to wear at one of her weddings. Being the only robber on the run, I figured that he wouldn't be a problem for me.  
  
I flew into the middle of the street, chasing after the thief. The odds were against him.  
  
I shot out a beam from my ring, enclosing his form in a green aura. Next, I pulled his squirming body closer and narrowed my eyes.  
  
"Real sloppy, Shade."  
  
"I don't think so," he answered coolly.  
  
A split-second later, someone clobbered me from behind, forcing me to lose my concentration. Shade was free, and I was soaring through the air, toward a brick wall. I plowed into it, instantly feeling bruises materializing on my body. Somehow, I had managed to create a shield around myself before the impact, so I wasn't as injured as I could have been.  
  
Groaning, I raised my stare from the pavement to look at whoever had hit me. Shade wasn't on his own; Giganta stood by his side, smiling.  
  
Already a news team and a crowd had gathered at the scene, gawking at the brawl. Kids were cheering me on, and adults were trying to keep them quiet. Either way, they were all liabilities now. I had to keep an eye on them, just in case Shade and Giganta got any bright ideas involving hostages or civilian casualties.  
  
"Surrender now," I ordered as I got to my feet.  
  
"And what?" the "gigantic" woman asked. "Come along quietly, and you'll go easy on us?" She chuckled. "Not a chance, Lantern."  
  
)V(  
  
"Tell him how you feel, Shayera?" I asked myself and rolled my eyes. "Yeah right. Then he'll glare at you like you're the enemy, which, by the way you were, and he'll turn his back on you. Your state of insanity will be established, and Batman will take you into his cave to run tests on you."  
  
I looked to the darkened sky and thought about how it used to be an escape for me. Instead of having a place of sanctuary, I had the skies. Not today, though; it looked as if it were going to rain.  
  
Strolling through Midway's park and heading for the town square, I could really think about where I stood in my life. Sure, I wasn't a Leaguer anymore, but I had four friends from four different cities that I could depend on if I needed anything. Wally, Barbara, Dick, and Kara were my links to the outside world and to my past life. They kept me informed on the status of the League and its members while keeping me a safe distance away from my former co-workers.  
  
I did miss the past, though. I missed everything about it, except the lies that I had told to better Thanagar. If I could have done it all again, I would have told John everything about my assignment and myself. Things would have possibly ended another way. Maybe I'd still be with them all. Perhaps I'd still have a family.  
  
My new "family" nearly filled the voids Superman, Diana, J'onn, and Batman had left in me. Wally was still around, and Dick made me feel at ease. Kara was adorable and her positive attitude was contagious. Barbara, the group's intellectual center, was the one I related to the greatest; she always had something wise to say, whether it dealt with aerial assaults, criminal activity, take-out, or kettle corn.  
  
None of them helped me deal with my crucial loss: John Stewart. When I had left him standing there with no power ring and a broken arm, I wanted to go back. I remember stopping myself from spinning around and flying into his embrace. I just couldn't allow him to consider taking me back. I'd wind up hurting him again.  
  
{"Where are you going?" I asked him and sat up in his hectic bed. He was standing at its foot, wearing his uniform and staring at me with a wolfish grin. "Sun's not even up."  
  
I loved him in his suit. He looked so refined and professional, but, then again, I always did have a thing for a guy in uniform.  
  
"I've got monitor duty in a few, and I told Flash I'd pick him up," he replied. "How'd you sleep?"  
  
"I'd say like a baby, but your snoring kept me up half the night."  
  
He shook his head and playfully threw a pillow at me. I caught it and returned the act, but he stopped it with his Corps ring and put it down on the floor. John then sat on the mattress and planted a kiss on my lips.  
  
That Lantern tasted so good.  
  
"Before I go, I wanted to give you something."  
  
"John –"  
  
He cut me off. "Here." The former military man handed me two pieces of metal that hung from a chain. I instantly recognized it; soldiers wore them.  
  
"Your dog collar?"  
  
He chuckled. "It's called a dog tag, Shy."  
  
"This must mean so much to you." I ran my fingers over the name engraved into the metal and looked at him. "I can't take this, John."  
  
"Sure you can. I want you to."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really." He then pulled my face toward his, and our mouths met once more.}  
  
"Where are the rest of The Justice League?" the anchorwoman for channel three news questioned with worry as I passed one of the town's many video stores. "Why aren't they helping The Green Lantern?"  
  
Shock hit my body like a curveball when I realized that GL, my John, was in Midway City.  
  
And he was in trouble.  
  
)V(  
  
Giganta, with her hand fastened around my throat, shoved me up against the brick wall again. Shade was watching with great amusement, so I put a stop to his gratification. I formed an enormous hand that took hold of the redhead and then threw her body mass into The Shade's. The second my feet touched the cement below me, I was knocked aside by a power that resembled my own.  
  
Star Sapphire.  
  
This was a team effort.  
  
I guess the odds were now against me.  
  
What the hell were they all doing in Midway City? This wasn't Metropolis or Gotham. There was nothing in this town, unless you counted the hero who resided here. I suppose in some aspect she could be compared to either Batman or Superman, but she wouldn't be able to handle them all herself. They must've figured they could get away with murder, both figuratively and literally speaking.  
  
My body had been embedded into the brick wall another time, and the brunette villain was making sure to keep me there with her powerful force field. Her lips formed a crooked smile, and she spoke.  
  
"Look at you, all broken up. Don't you think we know you're the weakest of the League? Joker wasn't the only one who noticed your attraction to that traitor." She then licked her lips. "Lantern, you need a woman of your own stature."  
  
I chuckled. "Well, that rules you out." With all my strength, I created my own force field and propelled her away from me, sending her through the air. The Shade didn't hesitate to repair her mistake by surrounding me with the darkness that he controlled. I couldn't see anything, and I had trouble breathing and focusing.  
  
I wanted to try and contact the others, but I couldn't get myself to. I tried to create another shield, but it didn't happen.  
  
The shadows suddenly lifted, and I was yet again in the street. I raised my glowing eyes to see why Shade had let me go, and my answer flew into the air.  
  
It was her.  
  
She had that same old mask, the same mace, and the same pair of wings. I couldn't tear my eyes off of her. She looked liked a fallen angel, wearing a black tank and pants. Why she didn't have a uniform, I didn't care; I just knew she had come for me.  
  
She had come to save me.  
  
She was always the first one to save me... It was just like old times.  
  
Star Sapphire used the gem she wore to shoot beams of light at the winged redhead, but they had no affect. The Thanagarian blocked every one with her mace, directing a shot at Giganta and another to its origin. The other redhead was knocked out upon impact, so I used my ring to tie a streetlamp around her.  
  
The moment of hesitation Star Sapphire had used was enough time for the Thanagarian to launch her weapon into the villain. It instantly smashed the gem on the criminal's head and knocked the crook unconscious.  
  
Shade was the last.  
  
I had a feeling that my former co-worker wanted him for herself.  
  
Thunder cracked a moment after lightning flashed, and rain began to pound down on us all. The children and their parents raced out of the storm, but the reporters didn't budge; they'd sit in a hurricane to get a story this big.  
  
The beauty landed gracefully and stood face to face with The Shade. She positioned herself into a fighting stance, something I had never seen her do before, and beckoned him to make the first move. He attempted to bang her upside the head with his stick, but she grabbed his wrist before he even got close. She tore the weapon from his grasp and tossed it to me. I instantly broke it in two.  
  
"Fine, Hawkgirl. We'll do it the old fashioned way." Shade punched, but she evaded in a style I had only seen Batman use before her. With both hands, she took hold of his right arm and twisted it, forcing the bone to snap. He cried out in agony and crumpled to the floor.  
  
Hawkgirl then turned to me. I couldn't quite read the expression on her face, but I knew it was one of completion and, surprisingly enough, yearning. My head told me that one of us should have walked away right then, but everything else screamed for me to stay. Knowing full well that cameras were filming us and that people were watching, I took a step forward; it had surprised her.  
  
"You're hurt," she managed. I nodded, and she continued. "The MCPD are probably on their way."  
  
I took that as a signal to tie up both Star Sapphire and The Shade with the news teams' unused cables.  
  
When that was done, I followed Hawkgirl into the dark sky toward the Midway City Museum. We landed on its roof, and slipped into an abandoned loft that someone had finally paid some attention to.  
  
It was her apartment.  
  
She locked the secret entrance and guided me to her living space. It was mainly empty, when you didn't include the few pieces of furniture she did have. A table and four chairs sat in a room with a stove, a microwave, and a refrigerator. Ten feet away from that was a couch that had been stationed before a small television set. To the back of the area, there was a single queen-sized bed inside a small room, adjacent to a closed door that probably led to a bathroom.  
  
At least she wasn't living on the street...  
  
"You're soaked to the bone," she told without really looking at me and handed me a tee and sweat pants. "Flash left those a little while ago. They might be a little tight, but they're dry. You can change in here; I'll go into my room."  
  
I watched her leave and close the door behind her. I still hadn't said a word to her; no wonder why she was acting so detached.  
  
So alienated.  
  
Quickly, I allowed my uniform to disappear and pulled on the plaid pajama pants. Before I got to the shirt, I found myself studying the room. DVDs were piled beside the TV, and I picked them up. "G.I. Jane" and "Enough" were at the top of the pile, and I gave a small chuckle. Those were movies I had known she would love.  
  
A binder was located next to the couch, so I took the liberty of picking it up and glancing through it. She had paper clippings and magazine articles on The Justice League, organized by person and date. There were TIME magazine covers of Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman. Stories by both Lois Lane and Clark Kent lined the book, and pictures were fitted into random places. I continued to skim and found articles on Batgirl, Nightwing, and Supergirl as well.  
  
And then I found stories on me.  
  
She had pages of pictures and articles, and I could almost sense the pain and the pleasure she had felt when she had glued the pieces together.  
  
"What are you doing?" her voice demanded, and I spun around. She wore a pair of gray sweats and a black tube top, to accommodate her wings. Her red hair was still wet, but she didn't wear her mask.  
  
God, she was beautiful.  
  
"Nothing. I was just –"  
  
"Spying on me? I invite you here so you can get patched up, and you spy on me?"  
  
Something inside of me snapped. "There's a lot of that going around now." As quickly as the words had left my big mouth, I had regretted them.  
  
The statement had clearly punctured her.  
  
"So, you're going to be all schoolboy about it? I did it so you're going to do it too?"  
  
"No. That's not –"  
  
"I should have known better than to think that you'd willingly except my help."  
  
"Shy..." My voice trailed off as I watched the tear slip from her right eye.  
  
She quickly wiped it away and placed a box onto the table. Shayera shuffled through it and pulled out some gauze and alcohol.  
  
I could tell that she was just as uncomfortable as I was.  
  
"Let me tend to your cuts, and then you can leave."  
  
)V(  
  
He slowly came to me and took a seat at the kitchen table. I could tell that he was sorry for that last remark, but it didn't help. John had meant it. No matter what either of us believed or wanted to believe, he still hated me for hurting him and his team.  
  
Truthfully, The Green Lantern had every right to loathe me. I had torn the League apart; I had them chased like animals. I deserved to never be forgiven by the only man had I ever really loved.  
  
I cleansed the deep cut on his shoulder and bandaged it. Next, I handed him an icepack to put over his eye, which had begun to swell. In addition, his lip was split.  
  
Bruises like that only occur when a person is ambushed; that's what those bastards had done.  
  
They were probably expecting me, not GL.  
  
It had been such a long time since I had seen him, really seen him. Six months, to be exact. He looked as good as ever. He hadn't shaved it a while, and I wondered if he wanted a rugged look or was just too lazy to do anything about it. I wanted to know everything about him... everything that I had missed.  
  
"So, Flash comes here a lot?"  
  
Small talk. That was promising.  
  
"Nah, not really. When he's free, I guess."  
  
"That's nice." John looked to the floor as I repacked my first-aid kit. "So, how are you?"  
  
I froze.  
  
I didn't know how to answer.  
  
"Fine. You?"  
  
"I'm okay."  
  
I moistened my lips and nodded in reaction. After taking in a deep breath, I offered, "Would you like some vegetable stir-fry? I made it myself."  
  
"No. I'm all right. Thanks."  
  
I ran a hand through my damp hair and rubbed the back of my neck. I didn't know what to talk about. I remembered that Hro had broken John's arm and decided to risk bringing it up.  
  
"How's your arm?"  
  
"Pretty much healed. It's a little weak, but it'll be okay."  
  
"Does it still hurt, John?" I asked, not really speaking about his limb.  
  
"All the time," he replied, and I didn't know if he was talking about the same thing. "I know it can never be the same, not with all that took place."  
  
"I'm sorry." I swallowed the lump in my throat and felt tears welling in my eyes. "I wish I could change the past."  
  
"Me too."  
  
A short pause came about, but I tried to kill the tension with more tension. "Do you hate me, John?"  
  
"I wouldn't be able to."  
  
"Do they hate me?"  
  
"No. They only hate the decisions you made."  
  
I was fighting tears. "I didn't know what they were planning. The Thanagarians had lied to me from the start."  
  
"But you sided with them anyway. We never lied to you, Shayera, and we were the ones you turned your back on."  
  
"I know I was wrong. I thought I was helping Earth."  
  
"You were stuck in a no-win situation."  
  
Then I moved on to the day we had parted, knowing full well that he held some resentment there. He had to. I had just left him standing there...  
  
"I couldn't stay."  
  
"You had to work things out for yourself."  
  
"And I did. I'm my own person now. There's no commander, no orders, no lies."  
  
"I'm happy for you."  
  
"You don't know how much that means to me."  
  
He looked at me with pride in his radiant eyes and stood from his seat. "I should go. Thanks for your hospitality."  
  
"No problem," I said and shrugged. "Just doing my civic duty."  
  
Lantern smiled, and it made my week. He then took my hand and kissed the knuckles. I held my breath, wishing that it wouldn't end there.  
  
)V(  
  
I wanted to sweep her into my arms and just hold her for the rest of our lives. I'd be content with that.  
  
I wanted to tell her how much I had missed her, how much I still loved her, and how much I still needed her. I didn't care what the others had told me or what they wanted. Jesus. There were rumors circulating around Batman and some thief, Flash was attracted to anything with breasts... Why was I the one who had to watch out for what people might think? Why should it matter?  
  
"Shayera," I whispered with my hand still holding hers. "You should know that I had forgiven you a long time ago."  
  
She nodded and lowered her eyes to the floor. "You really shouldn't have."  
  
I knew that she loved me. She had told me she hadn't lied about loving me, but could I ever get myself to trust her again?  
  
I mean, really trust her?  
  
And if she knew I couldn't, would she be okay with that? Could we give our relationship a chance? Would she be tentative to trying again?  
  
Should I tell her that I'd take her back if she allowed me to?  
  
"John..."  
  
When she didn't continue her sentence, I asked, "Yeah?"  
  
"You being here... It helps me cope with all that's come to pass."  
  
"Same here."  
  
She smiled at me, and I could have died right then and there. I really missed her smile, and seeing it again made me feel complete for a breathtaking moment.  
  
"Shy?"  
  
"Hmm?" She raised her gorgeous eyes to meet mine.  
  
And I did the unthinkable.  
  
I kissed her.  
  
To my delightful astonishment, she didn't pull away. Shayera wrapped her arms around me and deepened the kiss. I brought my hand to the back of her head, keeping her lips close to mine. Without realizing that we had been moving, I found myself pressed against her body, and her body pressed against the wall of her loft.  
  
)V(  
  
He kissed me again and looked down on me with happiness on his face. I didn't know I could produce that kind of gladness, but it made John even more beautiful in the dim light.  
  
The only sound that could be heard was the patter of the rain on the roof.  
  
We were lying in my bed, with him still on top of me, gazing at one another. Although what we had just done was pure bliss, looking intently at each other was just as satisfying. John didn't even have to say a word to me. His hunger and his actions had explained everything.  
  
And I was a joyful listener.  
  
I had eagerly paid attention for the past hour.  
  
And I'd "listen" again if he still had anything to "say."  
  
He softly brushed my red hair from my face and lightly planted a kiss onto my forehead. If there were a God, I would thank Him for the rest of my life, and if there was a Heaven, this was it.  
  
John was Heaven.  
  
"You have my dog tags hanging on a bedpost?" he asked and motioned toward his right.  
  
"Yeah, I do."  
  
"I have your picture on my nightstand."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
I smiled and caressed his cheek. "So what happens now?"  
  
"Well," he said as he crawled off of me, "give me a little time, and we can 'do' what we 'did' again."  
  
"No, though that would be nice." I sat up beside him, and hugged my knees. "I mean what happens after today? Do we date? Do we tell anyone? Do we stop it now?"  
  
"Do you what it to end?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then we'll take it one day at a time. The last thing we need is to be rushed."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Okay."  
  
My eyes then noticed a faint scar that stretched across his broad chest. I hadn't noticed it earlier, and a sick feeling instantly twisted my stomach into knots.  
  
"Did Hro give that to you?" I questioned and ran my fingers over the scar. When he nodded, I muttered, "That son of a bitch."  
  
"That doesn't matter anymore."  
  
"But it does, John. You almost died because of me."  
  
"Shh." He kissed my temple and ran a hand through my hair. "The past isn't an issue. This is a new beginning that starts with you and me. There's no Hro. No Katma. Just us and our love."  
  
"We have a lot to talk about then."  
  
"Yes we do."  
  
I kissed him again and whispered, "But we have tomorrow afternoon for that. Right now, I need some sleep; I've got to work in the morning."  
  
)V(  
  
I found myself waking to the sound of a telephone ringing. I glanced to my right and realized that the bed was empty. The shower was going, so I figured Shayera was getting ready for work.  
  
But where could she work without people noticing her massive wings? I had never really thought about that.  
  
The phone rang a fourth time, so I picked it up. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi... Is Sara there?" a familiar female voice asked.  
  
"Actually, she's in the shower. Could I take a mess –?"  
  
"John?"  
  
"Who's this?"  
  
"It's Barbara Gordon, Wally's friend."  
  
"Oh. Hi."  
  
"I'll just call back another time," she assured quickly, and with a click, the girl was gone. I hung up the phone and sat up in the bed, feeling more serene than I have in months.  
  
After pulling on my pants, I staggered to the kitchen and poured myself a mug of black coffee from the already brewed pot. If anything, Shayera needed her coffee in the morning. I guess you could blame both Wally and me for that addiction.  
  
"Morning," she greeted with curled hair, chandelier earrings, a white blouse, a gray pleated skirt, heels, and no wings.  
  
Wait.  
  
No wings?  
  
"What the hell happened to your wings?" I demanded, spitting out coffee.  
  
"Oh! I didn't tell you!" She pointed to the watch she was wearing and told, "There are perks to knowing Batgirl. She made me this."  
  
"She made you a watch?"  
  
"A cell-disruptor disguised as a watch. All I do is press this button, and my wings appear or disappear."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"Isn't it incredible? I thought Thanagarians were the masters of technology, but Batgirl puts us in our place."  
  
"So you can masquerade as a human?" When she nodded, I grinned. "That's wonderful."  
  
"We'll talk about it later, at dinner tonight, if you're not working. I know this inexpensive, cute, quiet Thai restaurant only a few blocks away from here." Shayera came to me and pressed her lips to mine. "See you later?"  
  
"Can't wait."  
  
"Me either."  
  
"Have a good day."  
  
The Thanagarian giggled like a schoolgirl and grabbed her purse. I watched her leave and sipped my java.  
  
I had to get Flash to cover for me.  
  
I had a date.  
  
{"Look at us, John. Just look at us." Hawkgirl lowered her eyes and sighed.  
  
I wouldn't let it end there, not when I was getting somewhere.  
  
"All I see is a man and a woman."  
  
She looked at me with shock and hope in her eyes. When I reached for her helmet, she hesitated before permitting me to remove it. When I did, I saw the most beautiful creature I had ever laid my eyes on.  
  
And I kissed her.}  
  
(THE END)  
  
All right, there ya go! The last portion of this trilogy. Hope you enjoyed. If you'd like an epilogue like Jademagic had requested, HOLLA!  
  
Peace out.

A.T.


	4. Aftermath, The Epilogue

Aftermath (The Epilogue)  
  
By: Jade O'Neal  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They are property of DC Comics, Warner Bros. and others.  
  
Spoilers: STARCROSSED. (Take note: I have changed a few of the occurrences in "Starcrossed" to better suit my story. Sorry if you've got a problem with that...)  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language  
  
Note: Takes place a year after the invasion.  
  
) V (  
  
She shot the basketball at the hoop, and we waited to see how her attempt would fair. The ball rolled around the rim and then, surprisingly, fell in. I knew I'd never hear the end of it.  
  
"She scores!" Shayera announced and did a ridiculous victory dance in the middle of the court. "I beat you! Woo-who! Take that, John!"  
  
I watched her from my position under the basket, considering informing her of my "holding back." There was no way a white girl could be me at a game of hoops, even if she was Thanagarian.  
  
It would kill Shayera to know that I had gone easy on her.  
  
So I decided not to tell.  
  
"Congratulations."  
  
"Yup. That means you lost the bet." She strolled toward me and adjusted the green bandana on her head. "So, you have to do whatever I say."  
  
"I know the terms." I fiddled with the basketball I held in my hands and smiled at her. "Hopefully you'll chose something I enjoy doing." I gave her a wolfish grin, hoping she'd catch my drift.  
  
She raised an eyebrow and leaned in, teasing me with her nearness. "I want you to cook for me."  
  
"What?" I asked in a disappointed tone. All my eagerness drained away.  
  
"That's right. You've got to cook dinner tonight."  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"Nope. Not kidding." She laughed and spun on her heel. Shy walked off of the public court and headed for my apartment. I followed, grumbling.  
  
) V (  
  
I rolled into the Batcave and parked my Batcycle in its place. Alfred was there to greet me.  
  
"Evening, Miss Gordon."  
  
"Hey Alfred," I said after pulling off my helmet. I got off my cycle, and walked over to the Batcomputer. "Where's the boss? Still out?"  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid. He had a 'matter' to attend to."  
  
"The League?"  
  
"No. Nightwing."  
  
"What happened?" I asked, immediately getting worried.  
  
"Nothing of concern. It seems as though young Master Dick had a run-in with Miss Kyle."  
  
"Uh-oh. Selina's up to her old tricks?" When he didn't answer, I chuckled.  
  
"Pardon my asking, but have you spoken to Miss Hol as of late?" the older man questioned, and handed me a cup of hot tea once I sat down. "She hasn't called me for any recipes lately, and I am not sure if that is a good or a bad sign."  
  
"It's good, Alfred. She's got The Green Lantern looking out for her now. She doesn't have to busy herself with baking monstrosities anymore."  
  
"Thank Heavens. She is a terrible cook, isn't she?"  
  
I laughed some more and sighed when I thought about the woman I had taken in only a year ago. She had been so confused, so lost, and so... broken. Now she wasn't; she was whole again and much stronger.  
  
Shayera was a better person because she had someone who would listen to her.  
  
"Alfred, am I a hypocrite?"  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"Well, I keep telling Batman that he should consider reinstating Hawkgirl as a Leaguer, that they shouldn't hesitate to rely on her." I shrugged. "Even though I trust her with my own life, I have a device hidden in that cell-disruptor that'll alert me if she came within twenty feet of another Thanagarian."  
  
"My word."  
  
"I know." I shook my head. "Some friend I turned out to be."  
  
"You are just being cautious. I'm sure Hawkgirl would understand if you told her."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
) V (  
  
"We all care for Hawkgirl, Flash, but we must take into consideration all that she had done," Diana told me from across the table. "We can't only think of ourselves. We have Earth to fret about. What would they say to us forgiving Hawkgirl?"  
  
"After a year?" I snapped. "Please."  
  
"That event is still imprinted in minds," the Martian added with his wise tone. "Families were hurt, and rights were suppressed."  
  
"Come on, J'onn. You were on my side the last time we discussed this."  
  
"We'll call it to the others' attention the next time we have a meeting. Until then, I don't want to hear another word." Wonder Woman stood from the table and walked out of the Watchtower's kitchen.  
  
I rolled my eyes.  
  
Things weren't going as nicely as I had hoped.  
  
Diana's tiara must be on too tight.  
  
) V (  
  
"Thanks for dinner, Clark." I sipped my water and gave him a smile. "It's really good."  
  
"Anything for my cousin." He smiled and pushed his glasses back to where they belonged. "So what did you want to talk about?"  
  
"Hawkgirl."  
  
"Kara..."  
  
"I know you don't want to talk about her, but I think it's healthy to remember the past and rethink the future." I straightened in my seat and began gnawing on my lower lip. "What if you let her rejoin the team? You'd have an affiliate in Midway."  
  
"John, you, and Wally visit there a lot. I don't think we need one." He sipped his diet coke and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Anyway, you don't understand what happened."  
  
"What do you mean? I understand perfectly. I'm not a child, Clark; quit treating me like one."  
  
"You weren't there. Neither was Barbara. I know what you two have been contemplating for the past few months, and, at the moment, the answer's still 'No.' Okay?"  
  
"But Clark –"  
  
He interrupted. "Hawkgirl betrayed us and didn't second guess her actions until she learned the planet was going to be destroyed."  
  
"And then she sacrificed everything to save her adopted planet. She's a hero like any one of us. Clark, you would have done the same thing if you had been in her position, and don't try to convince me that I'm wrong. If you were asked to go undercover for America or for Earth, you would in a heartbeat."  
  
Clark shook his head at me. "Can we just finish dinner in peace? I could put in a CD. How about John Mayer?"  
  
Without thinking, I muttered, "For such a superhero, you can be a real jerk sometimes. I think Batman's rubbing off on you."  
  
) V (  
  
"She got away from you? Again?" I asked my mentor. We stood on a rooftop, with our eyes on his city. When he didn't answer, I had to hide a smile. Catwoman was something else, something he could barely deal with, even when he tried.  
  
He decided to change the topic. "You've been training with Hawkgirl?"  
  
"Yeah. Babs thought it would be a good idea. You should see the girl fight. Now that she knows martial arts, I wouldn't mess with her."  
  
"Sara Hall, Coordinator of Ancient Weapons at the Midway Museum," he stated.  
  
"You've been doing your homework, Kimosabe." This time, I did chuckle. "By the way, I think the job suits her. She's pretty smart when it comes to weaponry."  
  
"The Thanagarians are known for their knowledge of weapons."  
  
"She told me. You know, I've got a lot in common with her. She was a cop. I am a cop. She had a bastard bossing her around. I had –" I cut myself short when he glared at me.  
  
I love getting on his nerves. It makes me feel all warm inside.  
  
"I'm going over to the east side. You can call it a night, but make sure Robin's departed as well." Batman shot out a line, and swung off the building.  
  
I watched him go, and knew that he was actually considering suggesting Hawkgirl's return to the League.  
  
Good. They needed her.  
  
I also knew that he was headed toward Selina's apartment. That man could never hide his attraction for the thief. He would probably always care for her.  
  
And right now, I'd care for some loving. I figured Babsy was still up, researching or something. I just had to show up and distract her for a little while.  
  
) V (  
  
I stood in front of John's window, enveloped in his sheets, as he snored on the floor of his living room. The night was beautiful, and I was going to enjoy it, despite his racket.  
  
The sky was clear and the stars were shining brightly. This time, they weren't calling to me as they had a tendency to in the past. I didn't want to leave Earth anymore. I was happy here with John.  
  
Earth was my home.  
  
And John was paradise.  
  
The street was empty of people, and streetlamps helped the moon provide light. I knew that in thirty minutes, they'd turn off. I had spent many nights watching the sunrise while lying in John's arms, memorizing everything about him, including everything he called home.  
  
I smiled at that thought.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" John asked me; I hadn't even noticed his snoring cease. He came to me, wearing his boxers, and put his arms around my waist. He kissed my neck and held me.  
  
"Nothing really."  
  
"It's a beautiful night."  
  
"You read my mind." I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I need to tell you something, John."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't think I should be re-established as a member of the Justice League."  
  
"What?" he repeated. "But I thought –"  
  
"It was Barbara and Wally who thought I should be allowed in. Not only would it feel strange for everyone, but what would the rest of the world think? You and the League are and always will be in the public's eye."  
  
"That doesn't matter."  
  
"You keep saying that, and you know that's not true."  
  
John kissed my lips and smiled. "You do what you think is right when the time comes. Until then, I know three Leaguers who will be pressing for your homecoming."  
  
"Thank you, John."  
  
"No problem." He kissed me again and whispered, "I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"You better. Lord knows how much shit I've gone through just to prove I did." When I rolled my eyes and laughed, he pulled me closer. "I've got to leave tomorrow morning for a Corps mission."  
  
"You should get some sleep then."  
  
"Actually, I was thinking of something that has very little sleep involved."  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"Well, I'll go easy on you so you won't be too tired for your assignment. I mean, if I went easy on you once already..."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
I shrugged. "Oh. Well, I went easy on you during our game. I didn't want you to lose too badly. I was afraid it would injure your ego."  
  
"Ha. Ha. Very funny."  
  
) V (  
  
Finally. The End.  
  
;) XOXOX 


End file.
